Dallas Cowboys: How will the market shape Dak Prescott’s deal?
As the Dallas Cowboys try to negotiate an extension with quarterback Dak Prescott, how much of an effect will the current quarterback market have on his deal?
Just a short two week ago an NFC East quarterback signed a long-term extension with his current team. Unfortunately for the Dallas Cowboys, Dak Prescott was not that quarterback. Carson Wentz and the Philadelphia Eagles reached an agreement on a four-year, $128 million extension on his current deal with $107 million guaranteed.
This deal likely raises Prescott’s already steep price tag, and will almost certainly be the starting point for ongoing negotiations between the Cowboys’ and Prescott’s camp over the next few months.
When looking at what the Cowboys should offer in a contract to Prescott, you could make a solid argument that he deserves more money than Wentz due to his on-field performance.
Since they both entered the league in 2016, Prescott has a higher completion percentage, fewer interceptions, more total touchdowns, a better overall QBR, and 10 more game-winning drives than the Eagles’ signal-caller. Prescott also has a better overall career record as a starter at 32-16 as opposed to Wentz’s 23-17 mark.
Over the last 10 games of the Cowboys’ 2018-2019 season, Prescott threw for 14 touchdowns opposed to three interceptions and had a QBR of 101, while Wentz was injured in Week Eleven against the Cowboys and never returned to the field in 2018.
Ability and performance wise, you can make a valid argument whether you stand on the Prescott or Wentz side of the argument, but there is one place Dak has the clear edge in, availability.
The Dallas quarterback has not missed a game since taking over as the starter in 2016, while Wentz has suffered serious injuries in the past two seasons forcing him to miss 10 games.
You can talk all you want about his at times inconsistent play, his inability to hold onto the football, but you can never question his toughness and leadership. Prescott is as good of a bet as anybody in the National Football League that he will run out there every Sunday for his team regardless of how his body feels.
If you follow the Cowboys at all you can easily see how hard this team plays for Dak Prescott and how he is the clear offensive leader of this football team. This is certainly something Dallas needs to take into account when offering Prescott a new deal. Do you really want to drag on negotiations with the leader of your offense and risk losing him as well as the team?
When offering Prescott a new contract, Dallas needs to start their bidding at Wentz’s price tag to ensure they lockup number four for a long time. Wentz got four more years tacked onto his current deal, so Dallas would be smart to give Prescott at least four or five years in a new contract deal.
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Dak Prescott is arguably the most scrutinized quarterback in all of football, but the Dallas Cowboys would be foolish to give him what he demands in contract discussions. Wentz’s percentage of four-years, $128 million will start the bidding, so look for Dallas to give Prescott a slightly higher number than what the rival Eagles did for their young passer just a few weeks ago.